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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26639692">See You (Not Too) Soon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cold_nights_summer_days/pseuds/cold_nights_summer_days'>cold_nights_summer_days</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Car Accidents, Co-Parenting, Coma, Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), Emotional Hurt, F/M, Gen, Gift Fic, Heavy Angst, Hospitals, Hurt, Hurt Peter Parker, I lowkey felt really bad killing her, I'm Sorry, Injured Peter Parker, May Parker and Tony Stark are totally closer than y'all think, Medical Inaccuracies, Sad with a slightly less sad ending, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Self-Esteem Issues, Tony Stark-centric, ambigous grief, hand wavy legal facts, hand wavy medical facts, thanks for coming to my ted talk, the friendly neighborhood exchange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:41:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26639692</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cold_nights_summer_days/pseuds/cold_nights_summer_days</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if he wasn’t quick enough and – <i>they’re in critical condition</i> – and they were gone before he got there? Before he got to say goodbye? </p><p><i>Don’t think like that. Everything is going to be fine. They’re at the hospital. Accidents happen all the time.</i> Tony thought to himself. Then, another voice in his head said, <i>Yeah. And people die from accidents all the time, too. </i></p><p>---------------</p><p>Written for the third Friendly Neighborhood Exchange! Prompt: Tony is Peter's Emergency Contact</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Happy Hogan &amp; Pepper Potts &amp; Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man) &amp; Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Friendly Neighborhood Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>See You (Not Too) Soon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/GracefulPanda12/gifts">GracefulPanda12</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey guys! Long time no see, right? Tbh I was kind of taking a break from the fandom, but I'm glad to be back with y'all! This fic was written for GracefulPanda12 for the Friendly Neighborhood Exchange. I hope you enjoy your gift, though I might have gone a little darker with the prompt (hopefully not too dark!)</p><p>Special thanks to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironstark">ironstark</a> and <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctornineandthreequarters/pseuds/doctornineandthreequarters">doctornineandthreequarters</a> for beta-ing this fic for me! </p><p>It's safe to say, since I have not studied medicine or law, that pretty much all the facts in this story are made up, but I did try to make it at least <i>sound</i> accurate. </p><p>Lastly, I hope you guys enjoy this fic!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony got the call around midnight. As midnight calls go, this was definitely not one of the pleasant ones. He’d been sitting in the living room, catching up on paperwork for the company, when his phone rang next to him. Tony had actually almost missed the call, having set his phone to silent while he worked to avoid being distracted.</p><p>“You should answer the phone,” Friday said vaguely.</p><p>“Who is it?” Tony asked, finally looking up from his work. He glanced briefly over at the clock, shocked that it was nearly midnight.</p><p>“Mount Sinai Hospital, sir.”</p><p>Without any more questions, Tony picked up his phone from the coffee table and pressed answer. He was already freaking out but tried to reassure himself. <i>May works there. Maybe she’s just calling me from the hospital number—</i></p><p>“<i>Hello? Is this Tony Stark?</i>” said a tentative voice on the other end of the call. Tony cleared his throat before speaking.</p><p>“Yes, it is. Has something happened?” He asked. He already knows something has, because the voice on the other side is definitely not May Parker, and it doesn’t sound positive.</p><p>“<i>Yes. You’re listed as an emergency contact for Peter Parker, and he’s just been in an accident. If you could come down to the hospital—”</i></p><p>“Did you call his aunt? May Parker?”</p><p>“<i>No, sir. She was in the same accident. They’re both in critical condition.”</i></p><p>It was like Tony’s brain couldn’t comprehend the words, so he just sat there holding the phone to his ear.</p><p>
  <i>“Hello? Sir? Are you there?”</i>
</p><p>“Y—yes,” Tony said. There were a million thoughts running through his head. May—Peter—in an accident. Critical condition. He needed to get to the hospital.</p><p>
  <i>“Are you coming?”</i>
</p><p>“Of course, um, Mount Sinai, right? I know that’s what you said but now I’m freaking out a little bit and I don’t want to show up to the wrong place and—”</p><p>“<i>Yes, that’s right. Someone will be waiting for you at the front desk.”</i></p><p>“Thanks,” He said roughly before hanging up the call and running to the hall closet. If he was going to leave the house he obviously needed shoes, but he hated every minute of trying to put them on. It was like now that he needed to be fast, he was doing everything slowly. Even getting to the elevator and pressing the button for the first floor seemed to take minutes.</p><p>It briefly occurred to Tony that he should call Happy because he wasn’t in a state to drive, but Happy was asleep. He wouldn’t be at the tower any sooner than thirty minutes, and that was just too long. What if he wasn’t quick enough and – <i>they’re in critical condition</i> – and they were gone before he got there? Before he got to say goodbye?</p><p><i>Don’t think like that. Everything is going to be fine. They’re at the hospital. Accidents happen all the time. </i>Tony thought to himself. Then, another voice in his head said, <i>Yeah. And people die from accidents all the time too.</i></p><p>“Get it together,” He whispered to himself, twisting his keys in the ignition. The engine roared to life, and not for the first time, Tony was so glad every car he owned was built for speed. If Pepper were there she’d be worried that he’d also get into a wreck. To be fair, that was a very valid fear.</p><p>Suffice to say, the trip to the hospital was much shorter than the average GPS would have you believe. So much shorter, in fact, that the nurse who’d been sent to wait for him was shocked to see him so soon. Part of it was probably the fact that yes, he was actually Tony Stark.</p><p>“Can I see them?” Was the first thing Tony asked the nurse upon meeting her. The nurse shook her had sadly.</p><p>“Why don’t you come with me for a moment? I think it would be better to talk in private, especially because there are other matters that need discussed now,” She suggested. Tony nodded and followed her to an empty room. The bed looked freshly made, and Tony briefly wondered who’d just vacated it. Did they get to go home?</p><p>The nurse, who’s name Tony learned to be Alyssa, encouraged him to sit down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs. He listened, and she took a seat in the other one.</p><p>“They’re both in critical condition still. From what I heard last, it’s uncertain whether May Parker will make it out of surgery. She sustained major head trauma, so even if she makes it out of surgery, it’s possible that she won’t wake up.”</p><p>“Won’t wake up?”</p><p>“She might be in a coma due to brain trauma. It’s not certain right now, but you need to know that that’s a possibility. If that does happen, the hospital will need to contact her attorney and acquire her living will. I don’t know if you know what’s written in hers, but we’ll have to do what it says. Whether her family – you – agree with it or not.”</p><p>“Okay,” Tony said slowly, trying to understand what the nurse was telling him. It made sense on a surface level, but part of his brain still couldn’t move past <i>they’ve been in an accident.</i></p><p>“Do you need me to repeat anything, or would you like me to continue?” Alyssa asked politely. She seemed to anticipate his questions; this was definitely not the first time she’d had to deliver news like this.</p><p>“You can—what about Peter? Is he going to be okay?” That was the question Tony had been dying to ask since he picked up the phone. The one he wanted answered, but also the one that he was terrified to hear the answer to. Because while he loved them both, Peter was the one he spent hours with. Spent hours watching movies, talking about things, teaching him things. They were both family to him, but Peter was the one he saw as—<i>no, don’t say it</i> – his son.</p><p>“He’s still critical as well, but he’s in better condition than his aunt. She tried to protect him during the accident, which is why she ultimately sustained more injuries than he did. He suffered a bit of head trauma as well as a few broken bones,” Alyssa continued explaining.</p><p>“Can I see him?” Tony interrupted. He didn’t want to be rude, but she seemed used to this kind of thing. Worried <strike>parents.</strike></p><p>“Not yet. I’m sorry,” She responded. “He’ll be out of surgery soon, but he’ll have to remain under strict surveillance until his condition improves. Until then, you can wait in the lobby, or I can arrange to let you wait here. It might be easier.”</p><p>“Easier than having everyone staring at me and trying to figure out why I’m here so they can sell the story to a tabloid? Thank you,” Tony tried to make the last bit sound sincere, but he just sounded empty. His voice held no trace of the worry and anxiety and panic and <i>fear </i>that he felt so acutely in his head. Years of media training, perhaps. Don’t let the audience know how you really feel because they’ll twist it and use it against you.</p><p>Alyssa left the room, locking the door behind her. Alone with just his thoughts, Tony glanced around the room. It was meticulously clean and smelled of antiseptic. There wasn’t much else to do besides sit, pace, or mess around on a phone. Tony supposed he could turn on the TV if he really wanted to, but he doubted anything playing on it could hold his attention.</p><p>Tony finally settled on pacing and calling Pepper to tell her what happened. She was in Japan for a business deal and insisted on flying back once she’d heard what happened. Her and May were really close, after all, and she didn’t want to miss anything. <strike>Like her death.</strike></p><p>Luckily, they didn’t have to wait to book a ticket because Pepper had just taken the private jet. The soonest she could be back was around six that evening. Tony was relieved that Pepper would be coming home early. He wasn’t entirely sure he could keep it together on his own. To be honest, he wasn’t even sure he could keep it together if he wasn’t alone.</p><p>Next, he called Happy. Since it was now nearing one in the morning, Happy didn’t answer, so Tony left a voicemail asking him to call back as soon as he woke up. Despite what many would think, Happy was closer to Peter than he let on. He even tagged along for his Acadec competitions. Tony put calling Ned and MJ on a list of things to do once it was later in the morning. He planned to call them and let them know that Happy would (unbeknownst to him) be able to pick them up if they wanted to see Peter once he was out of surgery.</p><p>Until there was more news, there wasn’t much else Tony could do besides the one thing he hated doing; waiting.</p><p> </p><p>Tony felt himself start to nod off in the plastic chair around three. He fought it as best as he could, but he was exhausted. He’d barely slept the night before because . . .well to be truthful, he just didn’t go to bed. He didn’t want to fight with himself over trying to fall asleep. It just wasn’t worth it.</p><p>Before he could truly fall asleep, though, a sharp knock on the door shocked him awake. He jumped up, body ready for a fight, before he remembered he was in a hospital and it was probably the nurse again. Tony unlocked the door and sure enough, standing on the other side, was Alyssa. She looked more tired now.</p><p>“Peter is out of surgery now,” She said, straight to the point. Tony was grateful. He sighed in relief.</p><p>“Can I see him?” He asked, afraid that she would still say no. He didn’t want to spend any more time in that room. His phone was close to dying, and there was only so much staring at a wall that one person could take. More importantly though, he wanted to see Peter. He wanted to make sure with his own two eyes that he was still alive.</p><p>Alyssa nodded. “You can come see him, but he isn’t awake yet. And I have to warn you, it isn’t pretty. There’s still quite a lot of bruising at this stage, as well as various cuts. It’s okay if you need a minute before going in. That’s actually pretty common.”</p><p>Tony followed her quietly through the halls until they reached the room Peter was currently staying in. Tony knew he couldn’t go back once he opened the door. He would no longer have the option to pretend this wasn’t happening. Alyssa offered to let him go in first, to give him a moment alone before she came back to check on them. Tony graciously took her up on the offer. He didn’t want anyone to see him fall apart, and he felt so dangerously close.</p><p>With a deep breath, Tony pushed the door open and walked in. He was careful to shut it back behind him before he really, truly, looked at Peter. It was . . . awful, for lack of a better word. Peter’s skin was marred with deep blue, purple, and black bruises. His face had several cuts, some deep enough to warrant the use of butterfly bandages. On top of that, his wrist is in a blue cast. <i>At least they picked his favorite color.</i></p><p>Tony can’t help the tears that start to fall. Not that none of this hadn’t felt real before, but now, seeing his kid looking so small and battered in a hospital bed? It was very, very real. And very, very scary. Tony didn’t want to admit it to anyone else, but he was fucking terrified. What happened if the nurse is right and May doesn’t wake up? What happens to her nephew, who has had to live his whole life losing family member after family member? What happens to Pepper if she loses her best friend? What happens to Tony if he loses one of the few people he considers family? What happens to her friends? What happens to all the people that she’s built her life around?</p><p>Sitting down in one of the chairs across from Peter’s bed, Tony tries to take deep breaths.<i> I need to calm down. May could just as well wake up and then everything will be fine. Peter won’t lose another parent. They’re both going to be fine.</i></p><p>For Tony, this mantra is what one might consider an empty reassurance. It was like a parent telling a child that everything was going to  o alright, not to worry, even though the child knew the parent was lying. Even if – <i>not if, when </i>– they did both wake up, there were long term repercussions to this sort of thing. Tony could take care of most of them (like buying a new car, the hospital bills, insurance, etcetera), but there would be some things he just couldn’t fix. New nightmares, for example. Or lasting trauma.</p><p>Eventually, Alyssa came back with a doctor to go over Peter’s condition in greater detail. Tony tried to listen, and mostly he did, but he couldn’t stop looking at Peter. Even in sleep his face was pained, and Tony knew they weren’t giving him enough pain medication for his metabolism. He also knew that the thin hospital blanket wasn’t enough for him because Peter always, always slept with at least two blankets even in the summer. He knew these things because Peter was such a big part of his life and – <i>don’t think like that</i> – what if that was gone? What would Tony do with the extra blankets he keeps in the closet? Nobody else ever uses them. They would just sit there.</p><p>The doctor left and Tony felt like he knew less than he did before. Alyssa assured him that once he was ready, perhaps after sleeping for a bit, she could come back and explain it all again. <i>This is normal, she said, many times parents are too shocked the first time to remember or understand what the doctor says.</i></p><p>Tony nodded numbly, and Alyssa left. He knew that he should take her advice and sleep. He would need it tomorrow, most definitely. But despite almost falling asleep before, sleep was nowhere in sight for him now. All he had was worry. And grief – but that was wrong because nobody had died yet. No, not yet. Not at all.</p><p>So with nothing else to do, and nowhere to be, Tony had nothing left to do but think and play the role of watchman. When he could no longer sit in the uncomfortable chair – either because his back was aching or because his mind couldn’t take it – he wandered down to the hospital gift shop. He was surprised to find it open at such an early hour, but glad, nonetheless. He milled about in the aisles, looking at little trinkets and get-well cards. Eventually, Tony picked out a small throw blanket to bring back up to Peter.</p><p>The cashier didn’t even spare Tony a second glance while he checked out. He was thankful. Once he had finished and made it back upstairs, he quickly unfolded the blanket and laid it out over Peter’s still sleeping form. There wasn’t much else Tony could do for him at the moment, but this small thing made him feel less useless.</p><p> </p><p>Tony stayed in Peter’s room the rest of the night (morning). He drifted off every once in a while, but then nightmares of Peter and May dying shook him awake. Peter never once stirred. Tony wondered if his body was keeping him asleep so his super-healing could work. There didn’t seem to be much change in the color or size of his bruising, and none of his cuts looked remotely healed. If his super-healing was working at all, it must have been focusing more on the internal injuries.</p><p>Tony called Ned and MJ at seven. He was surprised to find them awake so early on a Saturday, but they weren’t exactly the type to sleep in anyway. Ned promised to be there as soon as he could manage, and MJ said she would be on her way once she could get away from family breakfast. Tony offered to have Happy pick both of them up, but they seemed okay with finding their own way here. It was possible that Ned’s parents would come with him, too. Peter was almost as close with them as Ned was.</p><p>Happy called him back sometime after seven-thirty, groggy but awake enough to function. Even still, Tony had to repeat the part about the accident. Happy was briefly silent on the other end of the line, and then said that he would come to the hospital as soon as he got dressed. He also asked Tony if there was anything else he needed him to bring.</p><p>“Um, yeah actually. Do you know where they keep the spare key to the apartment?” Tony asked him. He doubted that the other man didn’t know, but it was still better to ask.</p><p>“<i>Above the door frame, right? They should really move it.”</i></p><p>“Yeah. Can you stop by there and pick up a few of Peter’s blankets? The ones they have here suck, and I’m sure he’d feel better if had a few from home.” <i>And I’d feel better if he felt better.</i></p><p>
  <i>“Of course. I’ll grab a few things for May, too.”</i>
</p><p>“Thank you so much, Happy. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Tony said sincerely. He sighed and dragged a hand through his already messy hair.</p><p>
  <i>“Not very much, I’m sure. I’ll be there soon.”</i>
</p><p>Happy hung up, and Tony was left alone with his thoughts once more. <i>I’m going to have to tell the hospital about Peter’s . . . condition. Otherwise they can’t treat him properly. Or maybe I should have them transferred to the Tower. That might be better.</i></p><p>Following that train of thought, Tony sought out the advice of Alyssa and the doctor. When he inquired about possibly having them moved, the doctor shook his head solemnly.</p><p>“May Parker isn’t stable enough to move right now,” He said. “If you’d like to have some of your own medical staff brought in, I’m sure we could arrange it, but I don’t think she should be moved.”</p><p>Tony nodded. He briefly considered having Peter moved anyway, but he knew that wasn’t what was best. They would want to be in the same place as the other. In case . . . In case one of them died and there wasn’t time to say goodbye.</p><p>He tried to ask them more about May’s condition, but some of the words just flew over his head. But there was that sentence again: <i>She might not wake up.</i>The doctor said it like he didn’t believe, not even a little bit, that she would. It made Tony angry. May Parker had to wake up. There was no way she’d let go of her life that easily. Tony knew she’d fight God if that’s what it took to stay alive. If not for herself, then for Peter.</p><p>That was something they had in common. They both had other reasons to live, of course, their lives didn’t revolve around a certain spider-kid, but he was the biggest. They wanted to see their kid grow up. Graduate high school, fall in love, go to college. They wanted to be there for that.</p><p>
  <i>Come on, May. I know you can do it.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>May’s lawyer showed up while Ned and MJ were visiting Peter. MJ brought flowers to put on the nightstand. Ned brought a card. They both promised that they were capable of keeping Peter company while Tony dealt with some of the more legal matters. Peter wasn’t even awake anyway, but Tony still didn’t want to leave.</p><p>“My name is Mr. Tyler,” The lawyer said, sticking his hand out for a handshake. Tony shook it quickly, slightly embarrassed at how clammy he was sure his hands felt. Mr. Tyler made no indication that he noticed, which he was grateful for.</p><p>“I’m sure you know my name,” Tony replied, trying to lighten the mood and utterly failing. His voice came out more bitter than sarcastic. Oops.</p><p>“Yes, of course, Mr. Stark. Now, I’ve taken the time to read through May Parker’s living will before speaking with you. She didn’t appoint anyone as her medical proxy, but she does specify that in the event of a coma, she would not like to remain on life support. Since her condition has not been explicitly named a coma, and she has not been declared brain dead, that doesn’t mean anything yet,” Mr. Tyler explained. Tony felt worse knowing that she wouldn’t want to be kept on life support. It was not a surprising decision coming from her.</p><p>On the slightly less dark side (for it certainly was not bright) it removed the pressure of the decision from his and Peter’s shoulders. This way would feel more like being a bystander than the one pulling the trigger. Because if it came down to him to decide whether to pull the plug or not, Tony wouldn’t be able to do it. He didn’t want—or need – May Parker’s death on his conscience.</p><p>“So, what does it mean?” Tony asked. He wished he’d called one of his own lawyers to help explain the more tricky bits. He might be a genius, but right now he wasn’t sure he’d be able to solve a simple addition problem if he were asked.</p><p>“It means that until either of those things happens—”</p><p>“Unless,” Tony cuts in. The lawyer looks at him for a minute, and then amends his sentence once he realized how insensitive it must have come across.</p><p>“—unless either of those things happens, she will remain on full life support. If she is declared legally dead, I’m under instruction to discuss her final will with you and Pepper Potts. Her nephew, Peter Parker, is only supposed to be present once his guardianship has been discussed.”</p><p>It’s not as if the thought hasn’t briefly crossed his mind, but the word <i>guardianship </i>felt like a smack across the face. If May died, Peter wouldn’t have anywhere to go. <i>Of course he has somewhere to go. He has me</i>, Tony thought. But that little voice, the one that’s always contradicted him, came back with a vengeance.</p><p><i>And why would he want that? </i>It questioned.<i> It’s not like you had a very good role model. Who says you’re going to be any better than he was?</i></p><p><i>I’m not Howard, </i>Tony thought back angrily. <i>I’m not him.</i></p><p>
  <i>You’re right. You’re not Howard. But that doesn’t mean that you’ll be better than he was.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I’m already better than he was.</i>
</p><p><i>Says who? </i>Chirped the little voice. <i>Says who?</i></p><p> </p><p>The rest of the day passed slowly. Ned and MJ leave. Peter slept. Happy arrived not long after the meeting with the lawyer. He came in holding an entire bag worth of stuff, and Tony asked if he was the new Santa Claus.</p><p>“No,” Happy sniffed. “I’m just prepared. I brought what you asked for, but I also brought you a phone charger and something to eat. Don’t lie – I know you, and I know you haven’t eaten since dinner yesterday. I also brought coffee for you.”</p><p>“Oh my god, you’re a life saver,” Tony said.</p><p>“I’m not done yet. I also brought you a change of clothes because in case you haven’t noticed, yesterday’s suit really isn’t that fashionable.”</p><p>Tony laughed sarcastically and took everything Happy offered to him. He changed quickly in the adjoining bathroom before coming back out to eat the food Happy brought him. Happy had taken to sitting in the other plastic chair and watching Peter.</p><p>“He’s in really bad shape,” He commented idly. Tony sighed.</p><p>“Yeah. May is worse, but they won’t even let me in to see her yet. I’ve been asking since I got here.”</p><p>“Did you call Pepper and let her know what’s happening?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony said in between bites. “She’s on the jet home right now. She’ll probably be here around six or seven. Knowing her, she might not even stop at home first and come straight here.”</p><p>“Probably  . . . You know, Tony, I can stay here for a little while if you need a break. You can go home for a bit and rest. I doubt you’ve slept at all sitting in this chair,” Happy gave Tony a knowing look that said <i>You need it.</i></p><p>“I’m fine,” Tony assured him. “You know I wouldn’t be able to really rest, anyway.”</p><p>“I know, but if you decide you do, I’ll stay here and call if there are any updates with him and May.”</p><p>“Thanks, Happy. I appreciate it.”</p><p>Happy and Tony sit in relative silence broken only by the beeping of the monitor. Peter was hooked up to so many machines and tubes that it hurt Tony to even think about how bad he must be. He wanted nothing more than for Peter to wake up and make some stupid joke to try and lighten the situation. He wanted to see Peter’s big brown eyes open and search for someone in the room with him. He wanted to hear Peter ask where he was, what stupid thing has landed him in a hospital bed this time.</p><p>But there was nothing but the steady rhythm of the heart monitor. That was better than it being silent, because it might mean that Peter wasn’t alive at all.</p><p> </p><p>Pepper arrived at the hospital at six thirty on the dot, dressed in sweatpants and one of Tony’s old sweatshirts. It was an odd sight for the public who’d never seen her in anything less than business formal, but it helped her blend in with the nightly hospital crowd. A polite nurse showed her the way to Peter’s room while catching her up on the situation. A third chair was dragged in from some other empty room, and the phrase “three’s a crowd” came to Tony’s mind. Technically there were four people, but could the cliché still apply if one of them were unconscious? Yes, Tony ultimately decided, it did.</p><p> </p><p>Thirty minutes later, Alyssa came in to find the three of them talking about anything and nothing to keep the silence from being too loud. Tony was the first to notice her presence. He was so desperate for information on either of them. He just hoped that Alyssa wasn’t coming to tell them May had been declared legally dead. <i>She would not like to remain on life support.</i></p><p>Tony’s heart started to race in anticipation and his hands shook. Pepper placed a calming hand on his shoulder, but he knew it was as much for her as it was for him. She loved May and Peter dearly, too. Peter’s heart monitor beeped steadily in the background.</p><p>“May is finally stable enough to perform brain scans. The doctors are going to take her back in a few minutes, but if you guys would like a moment with her before they take her back, I’ll take you over,” Alyssa said. For a moment, all of Tony’s worry melted away.<i> Stable. You can see her.</i></p><p>This relief was short lived, however, because when Pepper asked if that meant May was awake, Alyssa shook her head. They still wanted to see her, anyways, and Alyssa took them to May’s room. It was bare, and Tony felt guilty. There were no flowers, no extra blankets, no cards for her. As if Pepper could read his mind (let’s be honest, she definitely could), she whispered, “Nobody was allowed to see her before now. It’s not your fault.”</p><p>May had more bruises and cuts than Peter did, and they were more severe. She looked more peaceful than Peter did. Even with the bandages and even a cast on her right arm (yellow, this time), Tony could convince himself that she would recover, and they could go back to life as usual. The voice deep inside his head thought differently.</p><p>
  <i>She won’t make it, and you’ll be left to take care of Peter. Did I say take care of? I meant screw up. You’ll disappoint him just like you disappointed Howard.</i>
</p><p>Tony shook his head to clear the voice and focused all his attention on May. There was so much he wanted to say to her, even if she couldn’t hear him, but none of the words wanted to leave his mouth. They stayed in his throat, and Tony thought he might choke on them.</p><p>Pepper stepped forward first and lightly grasped May’s hand in hers. Tears were in her eyes, ready to overflow, but Pepper wouldn’t let them. She would save her tears for later, when there was nobody there to see them but the moon. She never liked crying in front of anyone; not even her family.</p><p>“You better not think this will get you out of brunch with me next weekend,” She joked, voice strained with the effort of it. It was hard to be light when the room felt so weighted. “I’ve already made reservations and I’d hate to call and cancel.”</p><p>Tony stepped forward next, but he couldn’t get the words to come out. Later, he would wish that he’d said something, anything. Anything would have been better than nothing. In the end, though, May would know everything he wanted to say, anyway. He was never good at hiding things from her. He’d never been good at hiding things from his family. Not even his father.</p><p>Once she was finished, Pepper suggested that she and Tony give Happy a minute alone. He agreed, and they made their way back out to the hallway. Two nurses were standing outside the room, ready to take her for the scans.</p><p>“He has a thing for her, you know,” Pepper said, a ghost of a smile on her lips.</p><p>“Yeah. Peter mentioned it once or twice. He said it was weird when Happy would drop him off and him and May would give each other what he calls ‘googly eyes’,” Tony replied. Neither of them had ever said anything to Happy about it, but now Tony was curious. Had they gone out on a date yet? Would they?</p><p>Soon enough, Happy joined them in the hallway and the nurses wheeled her away. Tired and worn out, the three of them walked back to Peter’s room to wait. The nurses would know where to find them when the time for news, good or bad, came.</p><p> </p><p>“Isn’t it customary to sign someone’s cast?” Tony asked randomly, staring at the blue cast on Peter’s wrist. Pepper laughs lightly.</p><p>“Customary? Really?” She said, glancing at him to figure out if he was serious or not. When she figured out that he was, she asked, “Are you really going to sign his?”</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“Would he actually want that, or are you just trying to pass the time?” Happy chimed in. Tony gave him the side-eye, but Happy knew that he was just joking. That was just how he was with them.</p><p>“I’m Iron Man. Who wouldn’t want me to sign their cast?”</p><p>“Someone who knows how insufferable you actually are,” Pepper mumbled. Her and Happy both laughed.</p><p>“I’m doing it,” Tony said, standing up to go search for a sharpie. Luckily the front desk had one he could borrow, and he came back in the room holding it up like a trophy. Pepper and Happy shook their heads at him as he walked over to Peter and began to sign the cast. In true Tony Stark fashion, his signature took up most of the space.</p><p>“You leaving any room for us?”</p><p>“Of course, Happy. See that little spot right here?” Tony pointed to a small spot near the edge. “That’s for you.”</p><p>“Might need a little bit more room than that.”</p><p>“Then you should have signed first! As it is, I signed first, you mocked me, and now you have to live with the consequences.”</p><p>Tony sat back down between them and held out the sharpie. Pepper took it next, signing just below Tony’s signature. Happy, sure enough, signed in the little space that was designated for him.</p><p>“One day he’ll be able to sell that and pay for college. We just did him a favor.” Tony said once everyone was finished.</p><p>“You say that like you haven’t already set aside money for his tuition,” Pepper commented.</p><p>“And you, Miss Potts, say that like you didn’t help me do it.”</p><p> </p><p>Alyssa came back a few minutes after nine, and Tony swore he could see tears in her eyes. He already knew what she would say. He knew that she would confirm one of his worst fears. He didn’t share this thought with Pepper or Happy, though he suspected they already knew that, too.</p><p>Tony asked if they could have this conversation outside. Peter was asleep, sure, but he didn’t want to have this conversation in front of him whether he could hear it or not. Alyssa didn’t mind. She nodded quietly and led them out to the hallway.</p><p>“The scans came back negative,” She said without preamble. “The doctors couldn’t find any brain activity. I’m sorry.”</p><p>Pepper was the first to cry. Silent tears ran down her face and she turned to Tony and found him crying too. They held each other, desperate for the comfort the other could provide. Happy, on the other hand, stayed silent. He had no words to express how he felt, except maybe anger. He couldn’t be too sure. For all he knew, he just felt empty.</p><p>“How long do we have until – until they take her off life support?” Tony asked. Pepper cried harder into his chest.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Alyssa shook her head, “A few hours at most. The doctor still has to talk to her attorney before he can do anything. You’ll have time to say goodbye.”</p><p>“And what about Peter? Does he get to say goodbye?”</p><p>“If he wakes up, yes. It’s unlikely, though. I wish there was more that I could do . . . but there just isn’t. I’m sorry, Mr. Stark. I know this is very difficult for you.”</p><p>“It’s – thank you, Alyssa,” Tony realized he almost said <i>it’s okay. </i>That couldn’t have been right. Right now, things couldn’t have been any <i>less </i>okay.</p><p>“Of course. The end of my shift is coming up, but if you need anything, your new nurse’s name is Clara. She’s a close friend of mine. You’ll be in good hands,” Alyssa assured them. Tony nodded, and without another word, she was gone.</p><p>Happy decided to say goodbye first. He walked swiftly down the hallway like he was afraid he would miss her. <i>But he can’t, because she’s already gone.</i> Pepper excused herself to use the restroom, and briefly, Tony was glad to have a moment alone.</p><p>Once he was back in Peter’s room with the door shut behind him, he walked over to Peter’s bed and took the kid’s non-broken hand in his.</p><p>“I’m so sorry,” He whispered, the words struggling to find their way out of his mouth. “I just—that’s it. I’m so, so sorry. I wish there was something we could have done . . . but things don’t always work out the way you want them to. Or need them to, I guess.”</p><p>Peter didn’t answer. Tony didn’t know whether he would have felt better or worse if he had. Then, Tony was left with the uncomfortable truth. May would be gone, and the only person Peter would have left was him. </p><p>
  <i>You won’t be enough for him.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>Tony stares at himself in the bathroom mirror. The dark circles under his eyes are as deep as they’ve ever been. The little voice hadn’t left him alone since May was taken off life support yesterday. It pestered him at every waking moment, and even the few hours of sleep he managed to get.</p><p>He’d left the hospital forty minutes earlier to shower and change before his and Pepper’s meeting with May’s lawyer. They had to go over her final will, and considering what was at stake, Pepper and Tony thought it best to accomplish this sooner rather than later.</p><p>Pepper knocked on the bathroom door and asked if Tony was ready to go. He wasn’t ready in any sense of the word; tie askew, mind a complete mess, but he said yes anyway. They were out the door in no time, with one of the company’s many paid interns driving them to the lawyer’s office. The ride was silent except for the sound of traffic outside.</p><p>Mr. Tyler’s receptionist greeted Pepper and Tony by apologizing for their loss. For all their business prowess and tact, neither of them knew how to respond. They couldn’t say it was okay. It wasn’t appropriate to say, “Don’t worry about it.” Thank you was the courteous option, but it didn’t feel right. They weren’t thankful for her apologies. They didn’t mean anything.</p><p>After an awkward silence, the receptionist led them to a conference room down the hall and explained that Mr. Tyler would be in shortly and if they needed anything to just give her a shout. Pepper nodded, and the receptionist left.</p><p>Sure enough, Mr. Tyler joined them in the conference room with a stack of papers and a pen. Tony wished he could fast forward through this part. He still remembered what it was like doing this when his parents died and he was in no hurry to go through it again.</p><p>“I’ve taken the liberty of reading through the will before you arrived to make this as quick and painless as possible. There are some things that can be dealt with at a later date, such as division of property, but I’m sure today you’d like to focus on the custody of her nephew,” Mr. Tyler said.</p><p>“Yes,” Tony said, but the thought made him want to be sick. He knew May, and he knew what the will would say, and he didn’t want to hear it. It’s not that he didn’t, or wouldn’t, want to take care of Peter. That wasn’t it at all. He was afraid that Peter wouldn’t want him. He didn’t even want to imagine how hurtful it would be if, when faced with aging out of the foster system and staying with Tony, Peter picked the latter.</p><p>“Before we officially begin, though, I have letters from May to the both of you. There’s one for her nephew here as well, but I’ll give it to you to pass on once he’s present.”</p><p>Mr. Tyler gently slid over two envelopes. Tony shakily grabbed the letter with his name on the front. May was gone. Dead. And the last words she’d ever say to him were in this letter. There was a similar one for Peter, but no matter how much Tony wanted to know what it said, he wouldn’t read it. It wasn’t his business. That was strictly for May and Peter’s eyes only.</p><p>With a deep breath, Tony opened the envelope and carefully slid the letter out. It was on a simple piece of lined paper, the kind Peter used for school. Her handwriting was almost as messy as his, too.</p><p>
  <i>Tony,</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I’m sorry that you’re reading this. It must mean that I’m gone. But try not to focus on that, okay? I need you to focus on Peter. He’s going to need you now more than ever. Don’t bother trying to locate any other family for him to stay with; there isn’t any. I’m an only child, and the rest of my family is gone.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I want you to take care of him. I know that you don’t really believe in yourself as a parent, and I know why, but it simply isn’t true. I’m sure as you’re sitting here reading this you still don’t believe me. Pepper would agree with me, though. Yeah, that’s right. I’m pulling the Pepper card.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Peter would be so much better off with you than if he goes into the foster system. As amazing as he is, people just don’t adopt teenagers as much anymore. He would stay in the system until he aged out, and that wouldn’t be good for him. He needs someone who knows him. He needs someone who understands him and what he’s going through.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I think that’s you. I know that’s you. And I think you know it’s you, too. My official will says that Peter goes to you if he’s under eighteen, but if you . . . can’t do that, my lawyer is under strict instruction not to tell him that. It would be worse if he knew, I think. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>I have faith that you won’t do that to him, though. You don’t like to show a lot of emotion, but it’s hard (even for you) to hide how much you care about him. And let’s face it; he’s yours just as much as he’s mine. So be there for him, Tony Stark, or I might have to haunt you from the grave. Doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in all that stuff. I’ll find a way.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>That leaves us with one more thing; goodbye. I’ve never much liked goodbyes. It’s possible that we’ve already had ours, but just in case we didn’t; goodbye, Tony. I know I didn’t much like you in the beginning, but you’ve really grown on me. I’m going to miss you, wherever I am. Just try not to miss me too much, okay?</i>
</p><p>
  <i>See you (not too) soon,</i>
</p><p>
  <i>May Parker</i>
</p><p>Pepper was still reading her letter once Tony had finished his. He wondered if May had put something similar in hers. He wasn’t going to ask, though. If Pepper wanted to share, she would.</p><p>He didn’t know what to do. Maybe cry some more once they’d left this terrible conference room. But he couldn’t do that yet. He still had to deal with the present.</p><p>“Her will says that she would like the two of you to take care of him. I understand this is a big undertaking, possibly unexpected if she’d never discussed it with you beforehand. I have legal guardianship transfer papers here, too, if you decide that you’re ready to sign them before you leave here today.</p><p>“If not, that’s okay as well. You may want some time to discuss this, and I understand. I can have one of my assistants bring you the papers when, or if, you feel ready for them. Keep in mind, guardianship is not the same as adoption. If you decided to . . . change your mind and have him placed in foster care, that would still be possible.”</p><p>“What about his medical care? Do we need to sign something to keep control over that?” Pepper asked now that she was finished reading. Tony silently thanked her for asking the question so that he didn’t have to.</p><p>“Mr. Stark is still listed as Peter’s emergency contact, and still has the right to make medical decisions for him in the meantime. I don’t want to rush you, but I do suggest acting quickly. These things can get sort of messy,” Mr. Tyler answered. Tony stared at the stack of papers in front of him and wondered which ones were the ones he was talking about. It was crazy that such a huge life change could happen because of a slip of paper and a signature.</p><p>“I think we should wait. This is about Peter; I think he deserves a say on where he goes from here. I don’t want to force him into anything,” Tony thought that was the right thing to say. The lawyer seemed surprised that he wanted Peter’s input.</p><p>“He’s only sixteen and experiencing a major loss in his life. Do you think it’s wise to give him such a big decision?” Mr. Tyler asked. Tony nodded without hesitation.</p><p>“Yes. It’s his life, and I trust him to made decisions for himself. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let him be irresponsible. I just want him to feel like he’s still got some control when everything else is slipping away.”</p><p>Pepper agreed with Tony, and the issue of Peter’s custody was tabled for further discussion. Next, the pair had to deal with things like May’s college loans, current bills, bank accounts. All the things Obi had dealt with for Tony when his parents died. Twenty years later, and he felt like a kid all over again. He didn’t know what to do, who to talk to, what was going to happen in the future.</p><p><i>I think that’s you. I know that’s you. </i>Those words burned in Tony’s mind while the lawyer talked about debts and bills and what would happen to the apartment. Tony wanted to believe her. May never lied to him, why would she start?</p><p>But Peter was . . . amazing and kind and compassionate. He was <i>good.</i> He was everything Tony wanted to be but couldn’t, and Tony didn’t want to screw that up. He wasn’t going to be the one who messed up everything May and Ben and Mary and Richard had done.</p><p> </p><p>On the third night after the accident, Peter woke up. Happy had already gone home for the night, and Pepper was out finding something for them to eat. Tony was left by himself in the plastic chair, reading some news article he didn’t care about to pass the time.</p><p>If Tony was being honest, he didn’t even notice that Peter had woken up at first until he heard a strange gagging sound. He looked up to investigate and saw Peter tugging at one of the many tubes he was hooked up to.</p><p>“Hey, stop doing that,” Tony said, jumping up and pulling Peter’s hands away from the tube so that he couldn’t yank on it anymore. Peter froze and snapped his gaze to Tony’s face. His eyes went wide, and he tried to speak, but once again gagged on the feeding tube.</p><p>Tony let go of one of Peter’s hands with the strict instruction not to touch anything while he pressed the call button. Alyssa, who was thankfully back on duty, came in soon after. She gave Peter a soft smile.</p><p>“Sleepy head is finally awake, huh?” She said, checking his vitals real quick before telling him to breathe out so she could pull the tube out more easily. Once it was out, Peter tried to talk again, but it came out as more of a rasp. Alyssa left for a moment and returned with a cup of water, which Peter took gratefully.</p><p>“What happened?” He asked, voice still raspy. Reality came back, and the excitement Tony had previously felt at Peter being awake melted away.</p><p>“You and May were in a car accident three days ago. It’s Monday night, now,” Tony answered. Peter blinked slowly, like he couldn’t quite process the information.</p><p>“Where’s May? Can I see her?”</p><p>Alyssa took this as her cue to leave, but not before she gave Tony a reassuring glance. Peter watched her go before turning his attention back to Tony.</p><p>“There were some . . . complications. She was declared brain dead two days ago, and the hospital took her off life support,” Tony explained. Tears welled up in Peter’s eyes and he wanted nothing more than to take back what he said, to spare Peter the pain of knowing. But Tony knew that wasn’t possible. So, he continued.</p><p>“She leaned in front of you in the car once she knew what was going to happen. She took most of the hit, and there wasn’t anything we could do after that. I’m—I’m really sorry, Peter.”</p><p>Peter said nothing. The tears started to come faster, blurring his vison and running hot down his cheeks. Tony did his best to pull him close despite the IV and other various things Peter was hooked up to. Peter welcomed the comfort. There were few places he felt safe, fewer still now that May was gone, but Tony’s arms were one of them.</p><p>What might have been minutes or hours later, when Peter’s tears finally ran out, he whispered the question that both of them were afraid to answer.</p><p>“What happens to me?” Peter asked softly. His voice was muffled, quiet like a small child’s. Perhaps that was what he felt like in this moment.</p><p>
  <i>You can live with me.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>No, he can’t. You’ll screw him up.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>No, I won’t.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Yes, you will.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I won’t.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Says who?</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Says me.</i>
</p><p>And then, with all the bravery he’d never felt before, Tony said;</p><p>“You’ll come live with me and Pepper, if you’re comfortable with that, at least.”</p><p>“Really? You aren’t going to send me away?” Came the same small child’s voice. Tony pulled him closer.</p><p>“I could never. I love you too much.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>How was it? Honestly this might be one of the darkest fics I think I've written so far. I usually try to sprinkle in a little more fluff, but it didn't feel quite right for this story, ya know? </p><p>Also, there's a sentence in there that says "He was everything Tony wanted to be but couldn’t, and Tony didn’t want to screw that up." I'm not being anti-Tony at all, or at least not trying to be (because I love him!) but this story is written from his POV and that's how he sees himself!</p><p>Please let me know what you thought down in the comments! I'm always open to feedback, but please remember to be kind!</p><p>If you want to read more, check out my <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/cold_nights_summer_days/works">page</a> and my <a href="https://funky--lil--spider.tumblr.com/">tumblr!/a&gt;</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://ko-fi.com/cold_nights_summer_days">Support me on Ko-Fi, or commission a fic!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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